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Where my ladies at? It's Galentine's Day! 💕

(Okay well unofficially.)
p.s. if you're unaware of the term - Galentine's started off as a celebration by the hilarious Leslie Knope of Parks and Recreation (seriously just Netflix the show!) Essentially, February 13th is a day to celebrate your sisters, friends and all the other awesome women in your life.

Featured: Bread & Butter Bakery Cupcake

In true Rosalyn fashion, what better way to honour this day than by indulging in our sweet cravings around the ladies we can be our true selves around. So hopefully it's cheat day for my fitness gals because we're treating ourselves to a sugar-fueled extravagant night and just one dessert won't do.

To make things easier, I'm sharing my favourite local desserts so what are you waiting for?

Grab your favourite chick flick and call your best gal pals for a cozy night in! And best of all, I've got you covered for all the scrumptious desserts:

SMALL BATCH CAFE & EATERY

Known for having extra sweet cupcakes, Small Batch caters to all indulgent level. From Nutella-filled cupcakes to vegan ones - your gals will thank you.

Not a cupcake fan? Snag a few adorable Art By Taura mugs (limited quantity) with delicious housemade hot chocolate mix and hand-crafted marshmallows. Get your coziest pjs on and let's snuggle up.

Happy Galentine's Day to all my fabulous ladies!

Cheese. 🧀 Oh, the glorious simplicity of something so flavourful and comforting, especially when paired with the perfect glass of vino or maybe even a cured meat or two. Throw in some sweet honeycombs, nuts and jelly and you've got the perfect shareable with your BFF or date night with that special someone.

Image by Stone City Ales

Thankfully, as a foodie hub Kingston is filled with amazing cheese and charcuterie options, so let's enjoy some nibbles:

TANGO NEUVO TAPAS & WINE

Grab a glass of red sangria and order yourself a board filled with a delicious selection of cured meats, local and international artisan cheeses with house-made crostini.

RED HOUSE

This pub's board features local meats and cheeses, roasted olives, fresh fruit, gherkin, pepperoncini, grainy dijon and bread. Don't forget to order a side of their crispy buttermilk chicken bites and a refreshing Liefmans Fruitesse. The perfect trio to enjoy a night out!

This is for all my lovely vegan friends out there. As we all know, restaurants in Kingston offer vegetarian options, but sometimes vegans aren’t so lucky. Fortunately, there’s a new spot in town where vegans can feel at home. No matter what you order, you won’t have to scrutinize a list of ingredients first.

Kingston's very own Atomica in collaboration with Knifey + Spooney has launched a brand spanking new vegan menu that will make a debut on February 1st.

Best part, the new menu includes comfort food favourites that satisfy off-diet cravings along with more refined delights.

THAT TIME A VEGAN CYNIC BECAME A VEGAN SYMPATHIZER

Being a stubborn cynic for most of my life, I find it hard to change my way of thinking without testing the waters first. I have always been a hardcore omnivore, enjoying the tastes and textures of smooth cheeses and hearty meats. In my mind, vegan food just could not compete and I shouldn’t even give them the time of day. I was wrong.

Going into this experience, I was excited, yet apprehensive.

I had never eaten vegan cheese or meat in my life. How was this going to go? I consider myself to be an adventurous eater, but I just could not see how this could live up to my high standards.

Worse: what if I LIKED it?

After taking a seat and ordering some drinks (a Moroccan Ruby for me – potent stuff), our first course was brought out rather quickly. Having come into this tasting menu late in the evening, the servers had the routine down pat and spouted off what was on the plate in front of us:

Looking at the board, I was a little worried about everything would go together. I decided to try the lomo di vegano (essentially vegan pepperoni) first. I was floored. It tasted nearly exactly as pepperoni. The texture was the only thing standing in the way. It didn’t quite hit the meat texture mark, but I could overlook that. I decided next to just load up a crostini with all the fixin’s and have at it. I was amazed! Everything worked together in perfect delicious harmony. And the chèvre! I had to keep reminding myself that it was not actual cheese because it was nearly indistinguishable from a soft cheese.

Next was the Jackfruit Bao Buns with ginger hoisin, sriracha, cilantro and cabbage slaw.

This was the dish I was most excited about as I had been seeing this jackfruit business all over the internet and had to know what was up. I couldn’t fathom how anything but a pig could possibly satisfy my pulled pork needs. I was – again – wrong. I couldn’t believe the flavours and textures that were in this taco-like bun. This dish was a table favourite. I’ll probably be going back to Atomica just for this little slice of vegan heaven.

I was surprised that it was actually quite large and everyone at the table got their own flatbread. I will admit: coming after the jackfruit, this was a bit of a letdown. It wasn’t bad per se, just your generic flatbread. It honestly did not taste any different from any other flatbread, which I suppose is the purpose of experimenting with vegan foods. It would seem that the vegans are always trying to trick us omnivores into thinking the vegan version of something tastes exactly the same as the original.

I have to say, coming after the flatbread, this was a little much. I was already stuffed by the time this course came around and I don’t think I got to appreciate it fully. Overall it was delicious, but I found the sauce to be a little overpowering. I adore pesto more than my future unborn child, but sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. I think that this dish would have done better on its own as a main, being just a touch too rich for the 5-course menu.

Lastly: DESSERT. Who doesn’t love dessert?

Set in front of me was a Chocolate-Chia Pudding with coconut whipped cream and chocolate-covered espresso beans.

Until this moment, I didn’t think about how the dessert was going to work sans dairy. I mean, dessert is essentially a combo of all of the best non-vegan things: butter, eggs and cream. As it turns out, dessert can exist without these things. I know! I was shocked too! But this chia pudding was actually delicious. My only caveat was the initial texture, which was not what I was anticipating. The chia seeds thicken the pudding to a similar consistency of tapioca pudding – something I am not a fan of. With the coffee beans and coconut whipped cream, however, this dessert works. I didn’t even miss the dairy.

As my first real experience with any true vegan foods, it went well. I am proud to say that I went in with an open – albeit skeptical – mind that was delightfully changed by the end. This does not mean, however, that I am about to run out and buy some vegan pepperoni and cashew mozzarella to throw on my next pizza. I still like my dairy and meat. I do see the appeal now, though, where I didn’t before.

In my book, that’s a win for the conversion column.

Winter is pretty in theory, but we all feel a little down when the world outside is covered with a layer snow (and ice lately). Seriously, this frigid weather isn't my friend and I'm constantly asking when spring will make an appearance. On the bright side, though the love of carbs might have increased, I know my foodie cravings are also at an all-time high this season.

Thankfully, Kingston is a foodie destination that appeals to all taste buds and why shouldn't we all treat ourselves once and awhile especially when it's freezing outside? From the cutest coffee shops with amazing flat whites to locally owned restaurants with flair, get ready to make your Instagram feed #goals. You'll be the instant envy of all your foodie-obsessed followers.

Load up the carbs (in moderation of course), the delicious goodness and let's beat the winter blues with these amazing Kingston hot spots:

What are your go-to spots on a chilly day?

As the days get shorter and the months get colder (especially with the freezing rain), I simply dread coming home and thinking about what to make for dinner. What ingredients do I have? How long will it take? I'm a 30-minute prep dinner type of gal during the week or else I get 'hangry' and it ain't pretty. My foodie partner-in-crime can vouch for that.

So while I wish it was sunny and above 20 degrees, what better way to bring a little bit of Caribbean flavour to my kitchen than with jerk seasoning.

Are you ready to dial up the heat for dinner tonight?

Whether you're planning a Caribbean feast or just want to snack, fire up the grill and get ready to enjoy some great mouthwatering jerk shrimp with pineapple rice thanks to Grace Foods.

Not only will jerk provide a punch of flavour to your meal, but it will also give you an extra boost during these colder months and perk up your palate. The heat of the jerk marinade complements the freshness and sweetness of pineapples in this dish with just the right amount of spice and happy tingle.

Step 1 - Shrimp Combine Grace Jerk Marinade and shrimp in a large bowl. Toss well to coat and let marinate for a few hours to overnight. Prepare grill to medium-high heat (350° to 400°) and oil the grill once it's preheated with your choice of oil. Olive oil was used here.

While the grill heats up, thread shrimp evenly onto metal skewers along with tomatoes, pepper and cubed pineapple. Then squeeze lime over top for extra flavouring. Set aside.

Step 2 - Pineapple Rice In a medium-sized pot add water, diced pineapple and lime juice. Bring a pot to a boil. Add the rice, stir, and wait until the water comes back to a full boil. When it does, reduce to a simmer and then cover. Cook rice for 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed and rice is soft. Remove from heat and let rice sit for 2-3 minutes covered.

Step 3

As the rice is being prepared, place shrimp skewers on the grill for 8 minutes and then turn once for 4-6 minutes or desired tenderness.

Place rice in a bowl and top with grilled jerk shrimp, pineapple and tomatos!

[name=Rosalyn Gambhir]
[img=http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n543/Rosalyn_Gambhir/Rosalyn_1.jpg]
[description=Rosalyn Gambhir is the gal behind the blog The Staycationer. Whether its exploring the local food scene with her foodie partner-in-crime or taking in the view from her favourite cafe, Rosalyn is always a tourist, looking for the next exciting adventure. The Staycationer allows you to rediscover hidden gems in your very own backyard.]
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Meet Rosalyn

Welcome to The Staycationer where I play tourist and am always on the look out for the next exciting adventure to share.